The two main accused in the RG Kar rape case got bail on Friday (December 13). A Sealdah court granted bail to former officer-in-charge (OC) of Tala Police Station Abhijit Mondal and former principal of RG Kar College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh. The bail was granted as CBI has failed to file chargesheets against the two within the 90-day period.
Mondol was arrested for allegedly delaying filing the FIR in the case. According to his lawyer, he will be released on bail from the correctional home where he is being held.
Ghosh was arrested for alleged tampering of evidence in the case. Despite being granted bail in the rape case, he will remain behind bars for now for his alleged involvement in a financial irregularities case.
The additional chief judicial magistrate (ACJM) granted bail to the two accused on bail bonds of ₹2,000 each and has instructed them to cooperate with the still ongoing investigation.
While the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against the main accused in the case, Sanjay Roy, they have not managed to come up with ones against Mondol and Ghosh as the probe is still on. The lawyers of the two cited the lack of chargesheets in their bail prayer.
The release of the two suspects has evoked strong reactions, especially from the protesting doctors and the parents of the doctor who was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
“We thought the CBI would speed up the investigation and bring those responsible to justice. But now, with the accused being granted bail, it feels like the system is failing us,” said the mother of the victim. She expressed concern, questioning whether this might become yet another instance where the powerful evade accountability.
The body of a post-graduate trainee, who was raped and murdered, was discovered in the seminar room of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. The CBI had taken over the case after massive protests across West Bengal and allegations of mishandling against the police.
(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)
